C.F. Martin (1796-1873)

Born
in Saxony, Germany, in 1796, Christian Friedrich Martin was the son of a
cabinetmaker who also built guitars.

In addition to carrying through traditional
guitar elements (such as the Stauffer headstock), Martin was also an innovator,
introducing X-bracing - a key element of the modern American guitar – to the
instrument's design.

Credit: Martin & Co.

Vienna

This
Terz guitar (Legnani model, serial number 1309) was built in Vienna by Johann
Georg Stauffer and Johann Anton Stauffer, c. 1828-30.

C.F.
Martin apprenticed at the Stauffer guitar shop before emigrating to America.

Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York City

After his apprenticeship in Vienna, C.F. Martin emigrated in 1833 to the United States, where he opened a musical instrument store at 196 Hudson Street in Manhattan.

Credit: Courtesy C.F. Martin & Co.

1837

An 1837 guitar built by C.F. Martin, constructed from spruce,
maple, mother-of-pearl, abalone and mastic.

The guitar is an example of Martin's earliest guitars, which featured a design he brought with him from Vienna: a headstock with tuning keys all on one side.

Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Headstock

Detail of the headstock of a Viennese Stauffer-style Presentation
Guitar by C. F. Martin, from 1837. From the collection of Peter Szego.

1840s

Pegs

Closeup of the headstock of a Martin & Coupa Guitar by
C. F. Martin, showing friction pegs.
From the collection of Peter Szego.

Credit: Courtesy of C.F. Martin & Co.

1846

Detail of the Col. Wilkins Guitar,
built by C. F. Martin, c. 1846. From the collection of Peter Szego.

Credit: Courtesy C.F. Martin & Co.

10-String

C.F. Martin's 10-string Harp guitar, c. 1859-60.

Credit: Courtesy of C.F. Martin & Co.

Harp Guitar

Detail of the headstock of C.F. Martin's
10-string Harp guitar.

Credit: Courtesy of C.F. Martin & Co.

Spain

This beautiful spruce, walnut, cedar, ebony and mother-of-pearl
guitar was built by a contemporary of C.F. Martin: Antonio de Lorca García of
Malaga, Spain.

Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Boston

Another contemporary of Martin's whose work is in the Met's exhibition was Bostonian Heinrich
(Henry) Schatz. He built this guitar, c. 1845-50, out of spruce, macassar
ebony, ivory, mastic and mother-of-pearl.

Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Man In Black

A list of noted musicians who didn't
play with Martin Guitars would be considerable shorter than a list of those who
did.